Abel Azcona Eating a koran.
Can you Eat the Koran? Art and Taboos, June 4, in Copenhagen
Speakers: Abel Azcona (E) Lars Vilks (S) and Bjørn Nørgaard (DK), Niels Bonde (DK) and Lisbeth Bonde (DK)
Burn the Bible? Eat the Koran? Slaughter a horse? Draw Muhammad as a dog? Turn a mass murderer into an object of art? What are the moral limits to artistic expression? What are the taboos of today? Are there any left?
On June 4, 19.30-21.30, five personalities in the world of art will discuss the state of modern art at “Krudttønden”, Serridslevvej 2b in Østerbro, Copenhagen. The organizer is the Lars Vilks Committee. The committee aims to endorse Swedish Muhammad cartoonist Lars Vilks' freedom of expression.
Lars Vilks became known far beyond the art inner circles when in 2007 he drew Muhammad as a roundabout dog for a small exhibition at a Swedish provincial museum. The museum censored his cartoons and then the story started in the media. Soon the first death threats against Vilks were voiced. The threats were soon replaced by real attempted murder, and Lars Vilks is therefore protected by bodyguards around the clock. Vilks' real masterpiece is the interactive colossal wooden sculpture “Nimis” in Kullaberg close to Helsingborg in Sweden.
On this evening in Copenhagen, Vilks will be joined by Spanish Abel Azcona. Abel Azcona is a young rising star performance artist from Pamplona. He has created a series of performances in which he exceeds sexual and religious taboos in his homeland often related to catholicism. Recently, he created the work "Eating a Koran" where he literally eats a Koran during an hour-long session. Azcona usually performs in the public, but also has a number of more traditional exhibitions at the art museum in Bogota, Columbia.
Vilks and Azcona are joined by 66-year-old Bjørn Nørgaard from Denmark. Nørgaard has come a long way since his controversial slaughtering of a horse at one of the most prominent public squares in Copenhagen in the 70s over a professorship at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in the '80s to his most famous work, the 17 tapestries for Queen Margrethe II on the occasion of the ruler's 50th birthday. The Queen was so happy about the tapestries that she has since chosen Nørgaard to create the tomb to adorn her grave in Roskilde Cathedral. Nørgaard knows a lot about provocation by way of art, but also works with major institutions.
Also from Denmark, the artist Niels Bonde takes part in the discussion. Niels Bonde is trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Städelschule in Frankfurt and works within the field of pop art. In 2009 Niels Bonde’s “Cho's Trip to the Post Office” dealt with the Virgina Tech massacre in 2007, when the student Cho Seung-Hui killed 32 and wounded 25 people. Niels Bonde has exhibited in Denmark and abroad. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Holbæk.
The art critic Lisbeth Bonde will contribute to the panel discussion. Lisbeth Bonde is one of Denmark's most prominent art critics. She writes for Weekendavisen and has published a number of books on contemporary art. Her latest one is the anthology “Why art?”
The moderator is Niels Ivar Larsen, editor of the daily Information and member of the Lars Vilks Committee. The panel discussion is conducted in English.
Registration via Helle-Merete Brix at helmerbri@gmail.com Remember ID and to arrive early due to safety checks (from 18.30 to 19.30). Admission is 60 kr. (8 euro), payable in cash at the entrance.
Can you Eat the Koran? Art and Taboos, June 4, in Copenhagen
Speakers: Abel Azcona (E) Lars Vilks (S) and Bjørn Nørgaard (DK), Niels Bonde (DK) and Lisbeth Bonde (DK)
Burn the Bible? Eat the Koran? Slaughter a horse? Draw Muhammad as a dog? Turn a mass murderer into an object of art? What are the moral limits to artistic expression? What are the taboos of today? Are there any left?
On June 4, 19.30-21.30, five personalities in the world of art will discuss the state of modern art at “Krudttønden”, Serridslevvej 2b in Østerbro, Copenhagen. The organizer is the Lars Vilks Committee. The committee aims to endorse Swedish Muhammad cartoonist Lars Vilks' freedom of expression.
Lars Vilks became known far beyond the art inner circles when in 2007 he drew Muhammad as a roundabout dog for a small exhibition at a Swedish provincial museum. The museum censored his cartoons and then the story started in the media. Soon the first death threats against Vilks were voiced. The threats were soon replaced by real attempted murder, and Lars Vilks is therefore protected by bodyguards around the clock. Vilks' real masterpiece is the interactive colossal wooden sculpture “Nimis” in Kullaberg close to Helsingborg in Sweden.
On this evening in Copenhagen, Vilks will be joined by Spanish Abel Azcona. Abel Azcona is a young rising star performance artist from Pamplona. He has created a series of performances in which he exceeds sexual and religious taboos in his homeland often related to catholicism. Recently, he created the work "Eating a Koran" where he literally eats a Koran during an hour-long session. Azcona usually performs in the public, but also has a number of more traditional exhibitions at the art museum in Bogota, Columbia.
Vilks and Azcona are joined by 66-year-old Bjørn Nørgaard from Denmark. Nørgaard has come a long way since his controversial slaughtering of a horse at one of the most prominent public squares in Copenhagen in the 70s over a professorship at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in the '80s to his most famous work, the 17 tapestries for Queen Margrethe II on the occasion of the ruler's 50th birthday. The Queen was so happy about the tapestries that she has since chosen Nørgaard to create the tomb to adorn her grave in Roskilde Cathedral. Nørgaard knows a lot about provocation by way of art, but also works with major institutions.
Also from Denmark, the artist Niels Bonde takes part in the discussion. Niels Bonde is trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Städelschule in Frankfurt and works within the field of pop art. In 2009 Niels Bonde’s “Cho's Trip to the Post Office” dealt with the Virgina Tech massacre in 2007, when the student Cho Seung-Hui killed 32 and wounded 25 people. Niels Bonde has exhibited in Denmark and abroad. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Holbæk.
The art critic Lisbeth Bonde will contribute to the panel discussion. Lisbeth Bonde is one of Denmark's most prominent art critics. She writes for Weekendavisen and has published a number of books on contemporary art. Her latest one is the anthology “Why art?”
The moderator is Niels Ivar Larsen, editor of the daily Information and member of the Lars Vilks Committee. The panel discussion is conducted in English.
Registration via Helle-Merete Brix at helmerbri@gmail.com Remember ID and to arrive early due to safety checks (from 18.30 to 19.30). Admission is 60 kr. (8 euro), payable in cash at the entrance.